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Each fall, the county removes abandoned bikes and other items from the bike-n-ride shelters that have been left to gather dust. The first step is tagging each bike that looks abandoned. If your bike has been tagged (example in photo below), you have 30 days from the date on the tag to remove the bike. Each year, we clean up the shelters, so you will have available bike rack space when you need it.

I also want to remind you that while the shelters keep your bikes out of the weather and add one more layer of protection from theft, security is not guaranteed. Sadly, bike theft can happen anywhere and does happen from the bike-n-ride shelters.

I hope this news does not dissuade you from using the bike-n-ride shelters. The bike shelters are used every day by dozens of people and reports of stolen bikes are rare.

There are a few steps you can take to make it much more difficult for someone to steal your bike:

1) Lock your bike with a U-lock (photo below). If you don’t know which kind to buy, ask your friendly neighborhood bike shop staff.

2) Lock both the frame AND the front wheel to the rack, because the front wheel is easy to remove. You might need two locks to do this. Locking the rear wheel is extra added protection.

3) Do not allow anyone to “tailgate” you into the shelter. Close the door behind you on the way in and on the way out.

4) Record your bike’s serial number. Having the serial number does not make the bike harder to steal, but it does greatly increase your chances of recovering your bike if it is stolen. If you don’t have the serial number, recovering a stolen bike is almost impossible. The number is usually stamped into the frame underneath the bottom bracket (the metal part of the frame between the pedals). It is also usually on the store receipt for new bikes. Keep the serial number where you can find it.

As always, please contact me if you have questions or comments.

Sincerely,
Alexandra Phillips
Boulder County Bike Planner
aphillips@bouldercounty.org
303-441-4520